


Infested

by SeaPinecone



Category: DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Ranboo - Fandom
Genre: Hiding Medical Issues, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29006343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeaPinecone/pseuds/SeaPinecone
Summary: How he got infected. It's a headcanon/AU I made, but it's probably been thought of before ;0
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	1. Forests and Foreshadowing

Fresh scents of rain and mint swirled on the wind, the forest trees brushing leaves with it. Cool wind cradled his face and soothed the exhausted purple eyebags. With a sweep of his hand through his tangled auburn air. It was tranquil here. He nudged his horse forward into the forest, the clopping sound of hooves on stone turning to thuds in dirt reverberating against tree wood, the azure sky turning into endless dark leaves. A slow, deep breathe told him it smelt of damp dirt here. He drank it in like a thirsty man, wrapping his fingers around his horse's mane to keep balance as he let himself drown in the scent.

A rumbling sound echoed around the forest. The sound of an Enderman... He slid off his mare. The iron sword made a slight grating noise as it was dragged out its sheath. Gingerly, he stepped into a clearing laden with thick grass and a racing stream. His fingers furled around the leather handle of his sword, letting the way he slipped into the dents comfort him. Shadows stared at him from outside the clearing. He licked his lips. He needed enderpearls, but he had never tried to get one before... a seed of anxiety was pushed aside as he gripped his sword.

His eyes traced the darkness carefully. Purple flashed in his periphery. His eyes snapped towards his right, sword flashing reassuringly. Suddenly the eyes expanded into moons. A wave of fear washed over him, and he stumbled back, a whimper escaping his lips.

"Wh-"

But he was too late.

A bony, seemingly ink black body erupted from the undergrowth, a wail of terror leaping out his mouth. Every sound was drowned by the unearthly gurgle that was emitted from its mouth, black foam bubbling at its lips, jaw unhinged like a snake and falling slack at its chest, arms as long as his spine clawing at him, scaly, greasy flesh grating his soft pink as it slammed into him. He lashed with his sword, barely hitting, and crashed back, breath ripped from his lungs, whirling with his sword. Another swing but the iron passed through the Enderman as it dissipated in mauve particles. Ranboo staggered back, his eyes raking every surface, jaw grinding nervously. He took a step back, spinning on his heel a full circle, over and over, until he lost track of direction. He firmly planted his foot into the grass, crouched, and held his breath.

 _Any moment now, it will-_ A horrifying roar shattered his thought and he launched himself back, mulberry smoke blotting out the dark figure behind. His sword tore the smoke as it ripped through, a cry of anguish piercing his ears as the sword connected with muscle. He lunged through the particles and slammed his weapon again into the Enderman's flank. A fist flashed up to his face and he dodged barely too late, the ground ripping at his palms as he was thrown to the floor. His sword glinted as it splashed into the river and was heaved away. _Uh oh_.

He leapt to his feet and raised his fists. He would have to do this with his bare hands. The Enderman again, flashed away. Ranboo rolled onto his toes and ignored the dirt scattering from his hair and shirt. Another howl of rage, and he jumped, throwing a punch behind him. The scales grazed his knuckles, but he punched again, diving a second later to avoid a blow. He landed crouched, springing back up and landing a hit as he fell, grimacing as another hit sent him reeling. And again. And another. A puff of particles, and a squeal from a tiny purple bug as it was spawned. But Ranboo just kicked it and spun around, leaving another critical punch on the Enderman's throat. He was close to death. He was at three hearts. His health potions were back on the horse. The Enderman loomed over him. He gave a final kick as he shrank back. But, with a surprised screech, the Enderman thrashed violently, and melted into white smoke.

His heart beat in his throat, and he took a breath to steady himself. It hadn't even dropped a pearl. He sat for a moment, letting his adrenaline slow. Hissing with pain, he felt the Endermite bite his scalp as he lay, swatting aimlessly in its direction before hauling himself up.

The fruity elixir of healing potions regenerated his aching muscles and stinging wounds, and he returned the bottles to the horse's storage, pressing his head against the soft muzzle of the horse as a thanks. The ride back felt longer than the journey, his head foggy as urged his horse to go faster. His hands were slippery. _I'm just tired, right_? He felt sick. He shoved it aside. It was fine. Home wasn't far away. Adrenaline was still high, so that was probably making him feel slightly nauseous... Suddenly he doubled over and retched, clamping his hand over his mouth and slithering off the horse. He stumbled to the side of the path, to the grass and bushes, gagging as he keeled over. He spluttered, foam dripping out his mouth... black foam. He attempted to stand...

Ranboo gasped, every fibre of his being trembling. His finger clamped around tussocks of his hair and pulled, vision blurring as sweat and tears dripped down his face. Agony lanced through his body with every heartbeat. He sucked in a shallow breath through gritted teeth. His voice felt like gravel as he started choking for help. For anyone.

He felt a guttural scream erupt from his throat, but he heard only a muffled screech, doubling over as his head was being stabbed with a claw of pain. His legs shook and his vision was swamped with golden dots. His head hit a rock embedded into the ground with a thump, but his head was numb to external pain. His head lolled back.

The sky seemed to smear across the world. The sun was so close. The pain seemed to stop as he stared into the white-hot eye. The blinding light seemed to swallow his insides and erase the feeling of his skull throbbing. It consumed him. But that dulled the sharp edge just a bit. The world was just a river, a reflection of some universe that was distant.

Brunet locks were appeared around his head as his fingers unfurled. It didn't stop at the places he had been ripping at. So much... he licked his lips and realised they were dry. Chapped. It all felt numb. He realised he was shaking.

"Stupid. I'm so stupid." He croaked hoarsely, mouth as if there were piles of sand trickling into his throat. His hand slid from his scalp to the grass. They were limp. Another dull flopping sound told him his legs were barely strong enough to move. Gone...

a numb feeling was radiating from inside his mind. Like a horrifying medical solvent forged from poison... his vision fluttered even though his eyes were pinned open.

The sun was pretty, oh so pretty... but his eyes were blurry and flashing. That made him sad. How was he meant to see the sky if he died? His thoughts felt sluggish, but it was almost comforting. He didn't like to think about death, and he certainly didn't want his life to flash before his eyes. Filled with pain... he didn't want to relive that. A smile played on his mouths. He tasted iron, and his spit was strangely crimson and sticky...

The End. The Ender dragon... his family. But those weren't his memories. He heard another scream coming out of his own bloodied lips. But he didn't have any strength and sank into sleep...


	2. Scars and Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the present, Ranboo feels ugly :((

Now, Ranboo planted his hand over half his face. His face was ugly. He couldn't have always been. Right? He knew his skin was always pale, but now it was silver. He knew his eye hadn't always been bloodshot beyond recognition of his previous baby blue. It was red. Scarlet red. So red that tears always looked faintly pink. Tears that left pink streaks across his white cheek. As his tears rolled down, the tearstains looked akin to coral veins. He forced back a choke when his throat felt thick, wiping the tears off the mirror. He couldn't remember... much before that day.

He pulled his hand across his face to see the other side. Much worse. He sank his teeth into his lip to stop it from trembling. Amethyst eyelids with olive shards embedded into his eye socket, glittering. Dark, scaley skin. Contorted, pointed ear. Tears now were making his eyes sparkle. His hand slipped from his face. He was ugly. His dirty blond hair was gone, ripped off by his own sweating hands that one day. The day that was engrained into his mind. It had never grown back, the mite stopping its growth and deleting whatever remain of hair he had. The Endermite had latched onto his skull when he had killed that Enderman, festering until it ate into his skull. It fused with his mind. That day, he had woken up in a hospital with flashing lights in blood red eyes and a sunken white face, a lagoon purple on the other half of his face. His facial structure had been morphed. Apparently, he was lucky. No one in recorded history had ever survived that far into an Endermite attack. He didn't feel lucky as he sank into daily weeping. A child that was lost that day. The child had brown hair, blue eyes, and was able to make friends. The child died and was replaced with a Pablo Picasso painting. A monstrosity that children ran from. The adults pitied. A monstrosity that worked tirelessly to be a fraction as loved as everyone else. Someone who always wore suits, because making a good first impression would be the only reason anyone would not shy away in disgust. An abomination that sacrificed their basic desire to be respected, because people would leave them otherwise.

The tears burnt his right cheek as he cried, his Enderman flesh being scalded by his tears.

"Ranboo?" A young voice came through the door. Ranboo flinched and rubbed his hand across his face, erasing the traces of those forbidden emotions. They only wanted him when he was happy. The door creaked as it was thrown open and he whipped around to face the wall, his back shielding Tubbo from seeing his face.

"Ranboo, we-" Tubbo's voice died with concern.

"Yea?" He knew his voice was thick, clearing his throat as dragged his mouth into a smile as he turned around.

"Yeah... uh... hi Tubbo." He rasped, grinning.

Tubbo's eyes shot to his feet, eyes rounding with sympathy.

"Um. So, yeah, you're gonna wanna set those festival decorations up today." Tubbo cleared his throat after he spoke. His discomfort was palpable.

"Uh, yea." Ranboo's throat was still raw. Tubbo turned back to the door, his shoulders relaxing as his friend let him be alone.

"Ranboo?" Tubbo turned slightly, the rigid expression on his softening into concern.

"Yeah?" Ranboo replied, his tongue tired from forcing charisma.

Tubbo dipped his head.

"I hope you're okay. You're my friend, y'know?"

Ranboo felt tears prick at his eyes.

"Yes, Tubbo, I know. You're my friend too. A good one." His voice choked up and he wiped his hand across his face as he sniffled. With a swift nod, Tubbo offered a smile, and left. Ranboo crumpled on the sink, clutching the marble. Tears scattered across the sink, and he wiped them off with his white hand. A sigh shook his body and he sniffed, breathing in deeply. He better get to those decorations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos/comment, it is so motivating. Stay hydrated and well-fed, readers.


	3. Bloodied Rivers.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A festival. A Dream. A poor Enderman hybrid who is stressed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw// mention of gagging and blood idk

The festival was beautiful. Warm autumn sunlight glazed the festival like melted butter. The decorations were intricately placed, winding L'Manbergian flag intertwined together into curtains that stretched across buildings, casting soft shade across smiling faces. Ranboo grinned, his clothes warmly pressing against him. Like a hug.

"Hey Ranboo, how are you doing?" Tubbo grinned, taking a sip of orange juice.

Ranboo offered a gesture with his own cranberry juice in a wine glass.

"It's quite the beautiful atmosphere, huh?" Ranboo nodded, a smile melting across his face. Sunlight glittered in the crimson drink. _He wants to hurt you._ Dream insisted.

"Well done on the decorations, Tubbo!" He added warmly, forcing himself to block out Dream.

"You did most of it Ranboo, don't discredit yourself!"

His friend's eyes glimmered in the reassuringly gentle sunlight as he smiled.

"That is true, even if you did pick them out." Ranboo laughed.

 _Do you think he would be thanking you if he knew about me?_ Dream drawled.

 _Stop it._ He snapped at Dream.

"Hey, I trusted that you would be a good decorator, and you were!" Tubbo exclaimed.

Ranboo clinked their drinks together.

"Thanks."

 _You know... he can trust you... but would he still, if he knew you've been blacking out? That you can't control yourself? That_ I'm _in here?_ Dream cackled.

"Hey Tubbo, I'm gonna go to the bathroom, m'kay? Take care of things when I'm gone?"

Tubbo dipped his head.  
"Sure."

He grinned and rushed to talk to some guests.

Ranboo turned and pushed through the crowd to the bathroom.

_The festival is stressful_. Bustling crowds. Eyes. Everywhere. The image of so many people, staring, was ingrained into his mind, vivid against closed eyes. His heart hit against his ribs painfully.

"Who can I trust?" His voice was shaky, hitching every word. His mind was halved, consciously... down the middle of his face. _Run, they hate you, they all love you, they trust you, I'm untrustworthy, I'm respectable, I'm worthless, I wouldn't do that, you did that, you're disgusting-_ He was cut short as he swallowed and his vision gave way, his knees buckling as he slammed into the floor, kneeling. Sweat poured off his forehead, burning his skin. The back of his scalp throbbed where the endermite scar lived. _Not this again_.

"Not anyone," Dream's voice was casual and nonchalant, as if they were friends...

"Then who?" He whispered desperately, his lips trembling. His mouth was sore, purple cheek raw from weeks of crying, tearstains etched in bloodied rivers across his face where the flesh was corroded. Obsidian flooring comforted him with rough bumps in the surface, and he curled up on the floor, eye plastered back, not knowing where to look.

"I don't know" Dream jeered, his laugh dying in his throat.

"Stand up, Ranboo." Dream demanded.

"I-" Ranboo wept.

"Get. Up."

Ranboo gathered his spindly limbs beneath him, heaving himself to his feet, pressing against a wall. He felt weak.

"You are weak." He couldn't tell whether he said that, or Dream.

"I don't know who you can trust, Ranboo..." Dream recounted, snickering.

"Not yourself,"

_Well, clearly-_

"I'm not even real." Dream's voice echoed in his mind.

He froze. Blood chilled in his veins. Goosebumps scattered across his arms and neck.

"Wh-" His throat felt agonizingly dry and he gagged.

"Dream? Are you... there?" He whimpered. Silence. He started shaking.

"Are you..." His vision blacked out. He was blind. Sinking to his knees, he wrapped his arms around something that could have been human, or something soft. Was this what insanity felt like? _Did I... Is Dream even real? Who is he? Who am I? What if nothing is real but this room... is the room even real?_ Did he fabricate Dream? He clawed at his knees, hugging them, shaking.

"...wasn't real..." He knew he was saying things besides that, but he was dipping in and out of focus.

"I'm so alone..." Finally, the darkness won, and he was dragged into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suspension of disbelief, since I know these events didn't happen this close together, exactly like this. Comment and kudos motivates me a lot, please offer one, stay well-fed and hydrated, readers! :D


	4. Control and Scream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Green Festival... makes him... stressed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw// dream is in his head n stuff ya know

_You have to keep it together. Keep it together. I need to keep it together._ He straightened his suit and fixed his crown.

"Ranboo, today's the day. You need to keep calm." Dream chided.

"Y-yeah, I know." He forced back a whimper, swallowing hard.

The air was brittle, like ice on the first day of winter. Delicate. A warning. Tubbo, Fundy, Quackity, and Tommy stood at the entrance to what used to be L'Manberg, their marbly eyes watching him. Looking through him.

"Hey." He dipped his head in greeting, but no one responded. Almost as if he hadn't even greeted them.

Finally, Tubbo cleared his throat.

"Ranboo... was it true what Dream said? Are you... a traitor?"

A lump was in his throat.

"I guess that's one way of putting it."  
Quackity's eyes flashed. Fundy looked like he was about to bite him, feral.

"What does that mean... Ranboo, what did you do? I... don't trust Dream at all, and I think you aren't a bad guy. I'm trying to be... understanding, but you sound guilty as fuck right now, and... do I really know you?" Tommy was looking at Ranboo's shoes, eyes dark as he spoke.

"I think you're a liar Ranboo" Tubbo stared at him with glazed eyes still standing at a metre's distance as he accused him.

"Thanks, Tommy. I didn't blow it up, I promise." Ranboo felt grateful Tommy was at least trying to be nice, even if he was making things worse right now, actually doing the opposite of what Ranboo needed. _Did you blow it up?_

"Can you really promise when you don't even remember?" Dream sounded genuine.

_No, that isn't me... right?_

"Look, Dr-" He broke off. Dream wasn't even there. Only Tubbo, Fundy, Tommy and Quackity were.

A ball of fear tightened in his throat.

"Look, Tubbo. I wouldn't lie intentionally. I will take whatever punishment you want." He whispered. Hot tears pricked his eyes with an itchy restlessness.  
Tubbo stared at him. In the eyes. Ranboo felt the right side of his face sting. He forced himself to keep eye contact, for the sake of not being seen as guilty.

"Okay. I believe you. But L'Manberg will trust you only distantly from now on."

Every muscle tensed to stop from shaking.

"Thank you, that's very kind."

The world felt like it was fuzzy. His vision blurred slightly.

"They don't trust you." Dream sounded sickly sweet, like he was singing a lullaby to a child, giggling uncontrollably.

"You don't even trust yourself." Dream erupted into laughter again, and Ranboo burst into goosebumps. Dream wasn't even around. He was imagining it. He could make it go away.... or was he actually there?

Ranboo clawed at his face, sucking in a deep breath to steady himself.

"Ranboo?" Tommy's voice pierced through the fog.

Ranboo's eyes blinked open, his eyes wide. Fundy stood an inch from his face, cheeks red and eyes blazing, body rigid. The others hovered behind him.

"Fundy, Ranboo is... Ranboo, you okay?" Tommy continued.

"Uh." He swallowed, wanting to take a step back. But he was frozen.

 _Stop looking at me_. Fundy's eyes were black. _Stop it_. Everyone else stared into his eyes. _Stop it now._ His right side of his face was on fire, jaw locked as his thoughts started dissolving. _You need to get away._

"Could you not make eye contact?" His voice came out as a cracked choke. Fundy just glared at him.  
"Why, you a fucking liar? Liars have issues making eye contact." Fundy snarled.

Ranboo glanced away, because he was losing control.  
"I think, you're just fucking lying. You are a traitor. Two face." He remarked, sneering. Ranboo was shaking now, his eyes firmly on the floor.

"Fundy..." Tubbo warned quietly.

" _This_ is why no one wants you. Tell me what you did." Fundy's eyes were inky clouds, and his conscious thoughts were being syphoned out of his head. _Kill._

"Fundy, that's too far." Tommy added.

Fundy bared his fangs at Tommy's interjection. His eyes were still focused on Ranboo.

Ranboo thought he was going to pass out. He wanted to pass out, because of if he didn't...

"You're losing control." Dream warned, speaking over something Fundy roared at Tommy.

His vision blurred. _Not again_...

They were still arguing, Fundy's face contorted in anger, eyes glaring into his.

"Ranboo, you're losing control, do something." Dream's voice rose, panicked.  
 _Kill. Blood, spraying over the ground. Ripping limbs off, beating the thing that scared him into the ground, until the light in their eyes that scared him so much as it bore into his dulled. The crack of ribs being smashed in._ He devoured these ideas ravenously, Fundy's eyes pictured in all. His fingers curled, jaw slackening.

"Ranboo!" Dream yelled, snapping him back into reality. Fundy had turned away and was fighting with Tommy. _You've got to get out of here_.

"Thanks, I'm leaving." He croaked, ignoring Tubbo's calls as he ran. His heart pounded and adrenaline surged through his veins. _Kill, kill, kill._ He bit his hand to alleviate the urge. He was hardly aware that his legs were hurting, because the images of Fundy's mangled body gave him strength.

 _I thought you learned to control those thoughts_. That thought felt very far away. He sank his teeth deeper into his white hand as he raced.

_Body, strewn, blood pouring..._ it flashed across his mind. He realised he could actually taste iron and glanced down to see his white hand soaked in blood, teeth marks in his flesh.

"Dream?" He panted through the blood. The terrain felt blurry and unreal.

His hand was painless despite the blood that trailed him.

"Dream? Hello?" He choked, tears burning his skin and making his face feel like it was erupting.

Snow sucked at his feet.

"Dream, where are you?" He wailed, shoulders shaking with sobs as he was met with silence, feet dragging through the endless white. When had he even lost his shoes?

"Dream, please." He whimpered, the last tangible sense of self evaporating. He was on autopilot.

"I- Dream?" His voice was raw now, supressing a wail.

"Ranboo?" A voice pierced his thoughts. His face whipped up. A blond man stood, wearing a cloak. A black cloak. Like eye pupils. The man stared into his eyes; his face frowning. _Because you are ugly, and he wants to hurt you._ The thought rang in his head, as his strength to control finally snapped.

His jaw unhinged, face contorting, stretching. An guttural, blood-engorged howl, long arms lunging for a soft, scared face. Blood spraying onto snow, staining it pink. A gasp followed by a scream, cut off. Ending with a shaky final breath. Staring down at a sleeping man soaked in blood.

Was he sleeping?

A door creaking open and a pig with a crown wielding a sword lunging for his throat.

Then there was magenta smoke and he was... in a forest. And then there was black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang idk when I was writing these chapters they didn't seem that violent, but looking back on it, they seem pretty violent... sorry lmao. Kudos and comments appreciated, I want it please.


	5. Betrayal and Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh no

He had trekked home after a while of half-consciousness, chasing his thoughts down and wrangling them into his head, tying them together with hope and fear of losing control again. It had been the same place as that day. The day he was... infected, if that was the correct word. He wondered why had had been teleported there. Maybe it was the first thing his half-Enderman brain had thought of - the birthplace of... all this. Maybe it was because it was a beautiful place. Maybe he hadn't even teleported at all and had forgotten the journey there.

Tubbo and Tommy had escorted them home. Rain had pattered as he walked, and he used his bloodied suit as a hat, hoping it would absorb rainwater, but mostly hoping it would wash the blood away. Tubbo refused to tell him what he had done. Tommy was silent and didn't look at him. He had a few memories... blood. Fundy. The accusations. His head hurt every time he tried to remember too much, and it throbbed. It was bad. Really bad. That's all Ranboo had known. That he had done something drastic, and disgusting. Now, as they pulled up to the crater of L'Manberg, Tubbo told him.

  
"Ranboo." Tubbo looked horrifyingly serious. A lead weight dragged his stomach down.

"Before we go in there... you need to know what you did." He continued.  
Ranboo nodded, touching the bandages around his hand that Tommy had wordlessly given when they had arrived after hours of scouring, finding Ranboo was walking on the outskirts of the Badlands.

"Ranboo, Phil is fully, canonically dead." Tubbo audibly gulped some air in, and Tommy flinched, stumbling back a few steps, eyes unseeing. Ranboo blinked, processing, and opened his mouth to respond.

"And you killed him." A deep voice swore from the shadows, voice gravelly with grief.

Red eyes glinted through the dark. Technoblade stepped out, cape swirling in the biting wind. An axe glinted in his hands. The Axe of Peace. His eyes were sunken as if he hadn't slept for years, or what must have felt like it.

He raised the axe, brining it down faster than Ranboo could react, a flash of sparkling enchantment.

"And you must repent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! The fic! The finished work! Leave kudos and comment if you made it here :}

**Author's Note:**

> Made this entire work before Ranboo confirmed tears burn him, so... I guess that's a bit of a hint as to where this is going. PLEASE leave comments/kudos, motivates me so much :))


End file.
